Adjustable strike plate



F. J. RUSSELL ADJUSTABLE STRIKE PLATE July 9, 1957 Filed April l. 1955 2ASheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Otice 2,798,754 Patented `lluly 9,1957Y ADJUSTABLE STRIKE PLATE Fred J; Russell, Los Angeles, Calif.Application April 1, 1955, Serial No. 498,727 3 Claims. (Cl.292--341.18)

'I'he invention relates to door hardware and has particular reference toa strike plate so constructed that it can be adjusted to vary the sizeof the opening in the strike plate which is adapted to receive the latchbolt.

Strike plates have been so constantly -inuse for a great many years thattheir general form and conguration has commonly been accepted asconventionalized. They are regularly made of sheet material stamped to arather simple acceptable form and apertured to receive the latch boltwhen the door is closed. Usual forms of strike plate have one or twoholes frequently rectangular, the holes being made to fit the latchbolt. The adjustment is usually made on the door frame when the strikeplate is installed. Some adjustment is usually necessary so that thelatch bolt will fit neatly into the strike plate and hold the `doorinnly -in closed position without such freedom as will allow undesirablerattling. Limitations ordinarily present in conditioning the woodenframe for reception of the strike plate render it likely that relativelyfew strike plates will be positioned to best advantage on thel doorframe without careful and expert attention. Should a mistake be made inthe locating of the strike plate, the mistakes are usually a matter offractions of an inch and it becomes extremely difiicult to reset thescrews the necessary small fraction of an inch from the original screwholes without leaving undesirable looseness in the screw setting whichmay ultimately permit the strike plate to be dislodged and misaligned.

`It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new andimproved adjustable strike plate wherein the aperture which is adaptedto receive the latch bolt can be varied as to its breadth in order toproperly accommodate the latch bolt.

Another object of the invention is to provideta new and improvedadjustable strike plate which permits adjustment of the `deflecting sideof the latch bolt Without it being necessary to reset the screws whichare designed `to hold the strike plate on the door frame.

i Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedadjustable strike plate which permits of very easy adjustment of theside of the strike plate designed toengagethe latch bolt after thescrews which hold the strike plate in position have been partially set.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a new andimproved adjustable strike plate which is simple in its design thoughcomposed of two parts, the parts `being so constructed that they can beset in a great number of diliferent positions of adjustment by beingshifted only slightly with respect to ea-ch -other and thereafter firmly`anchored in the selected position of adjustment without likelihood ofdislodgment under virtually any and all conditions of operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and ycombination of the various parts of thedevice whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter setforth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view ofthe with a strike plate installed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 3--3 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the two portions of the adjustablestrike plate of Figure l.

1 Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a modiliedform of the device.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary exploded View of the modied form of the deviceshown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an elevational view of a second Vmodiied form of theinventionshowing the strike plate attached to a door frame.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 8-8 ofFigure 7.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 7.

l In the form of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustrationthere ispictured a conventional door frame 10 having an edge 11 exposedto view. A latch bolt recess 12 extends inwardly from the edge of theframe and surrounding the latch bolt recess is a mortised area 13 ofsuch depth as to normally permit a strike plate, indicated generally bythe reference character 14, to be set therein and finished flush withthe edge of the frame.

The strike plate herein described comprises two separate members adaptedto cooperate one with another. Ardeilecting member 15 is located on oneside and lies beneath a containing member 16. More particularly thedeilecting member consists of a pair of` upper and lower `arms 17 and18, respectively, which are joined at one end of each edge of a door bya ldeflecting element 19. Thus constructed the arms and the deectingelement encompass a laterally open aperture 20. The deilecting member isfurther provided with a deiiecting lip 21, ordinarily turned over in anarc so as to receive the impact of the bevelled face of a conventionallatch bolt.

Each arm is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 22 of suicientbreadth to easily accommodate one of the screws 23.

Moreover, on the outside edges 24 of the arms 17 and 18 are a series ofserrations, inside edges 25 being provided with similar serrations.

The restraining member 16 also includes a pair of spaced upper and lowerlegs 26 and 27, respectively. These legs are similar in breadth andlength to the legs 17 and 18 of the deecting member and are adapted tounderlie the legs 17 and 18. A restraining element 28 connects ends ofthe legs 261and 27 and assists in forming a laterally open recess 29.The recess 29 as to its upper and lower edges is adapted to coincidewith the corresponding upper and lower edges of the recess 20.` i

On each outside edge of the respective arms 26 and 27 is a straightflange 30 provided on its inside face With serrations 31. A shorterstraight flange 32 forms part of each inside edge 33 of each of the legs26 and 27. Each of the legs has a screw hole 34 and around the edgeofeach of the screw holes is a bevelled portion 35 adapted on the concaveside to receive the head of the respective screw 23 in countersunkposition and adapted to extend outwardly on the opposite side into therespective slot 22. Engagement -of the bevelled portion 25 -in the slotin each case assists in maintaining a snug contact between them when theparts of the strike plate are installed on a door frame.

When the strike plate is to be installed on a door frame, the dellectingmember isplaced with xed legs 17 and 18 between the legs 26 and 27,respectively, of the restraining member. No special adjustment need bemade 3 initially while the members together are applied to 4the largest.area 13 .and the screws 23 started into the frame. It is necessary atthis point only to have the screws in reasonably neat alignment in avertical direction.

Once this initial step has been accomplishedthe deiiecting .member canbe `pressed against the bottom of the mortised recess and therestraining member .held up against theheads of the :screws 'to aposition y,where the serrations are out of engagement. T hedetlectingmember can then be lmoved .in or out so as to 'enlarge or xijrninish thebreadth of the space formed bythe iatcra'lly opened recesses. Whenthe-proper position has been reached Within the limit permitted l.by thesize of the serrations, the .deflecting :member is held in the selected.position and the restraining member pushed .against it iso as to engagerecesses on the respective .sides 'of the arms. The slots 22. permit thedesired movement. ".Gnce iin position the screws 23 are .driven .snuglyinto the fram-e' and the adjustable strike plate .has been permanentlyset. Should readjustment be necessary, the screws 23 can be partlyWithdrawn, the restraining member lifted outwardly, and the :strikingmember reset to a preferred new position of adjustment, after which thescrews are lagain :driven into the frame. Engagement of the serrationsprevents movement of the stri-ke 'member relative to the restrainingmember regardless of 'the character of impact against the lip of thestrike member or movement in the opposite direction of a latch boltagainst the 4deflect-ing member.

To improve a neatness of appearance the legs 17 and 1'8 may be bentslightly inwardly and the deflecting -element 19 bent slightly outwardlyin order `that the exposed surface of vthe element 19 be lflush with thevisible faces of the legs 26 and 27 when the strike plate is in positionon a door frame.

In a 'modified form of 'the invention illustrated in Figures and 6 legs4) .of a restraining member 41 have smooth louter edges and on inneredges 42 are provided with bent anges comprising a horizontal leg 43 anda vertical leg 44. The leg 43 is of such depth that the vertical leg 44is spaced va Jdistance from the arm 40 to provide :a space in excess ofdouble the thickness -of an arm 4S of a dellecti-ng member 46. lt willbe noted that an inside edge 47 of yeach arm 45 has serrations whereasan outside edge 48 is smooth. The Voutside edge correspondsapproximately with an outside edge 49 of each ofthe legs 40.

O11 the inside face of the horizontal leg 43 there is provided a row ofAserrations Sli having a breadth substantially 'equal to the thicknessof the arm 45. A clear recess 51 makes up the remainder of the insideface of the leg 43.

Accordingly when the modified. form of the device is to be mounted on adoor frame, the screws 23 are started as vpreviously described with therestraining member 41 in its proper position. Screw holes 52 in therestraining member match slots 53 in the deilecting member 46. With thescrews Z3 only partly driven, the striking member 'can be held outwardlyagainst the heads of the screws in which position the vertical legs 44of the bent flange move into engagement with the arms 45 at which pointthe serrations are out of engagement, the serrations 47 of the legs 45being at that time within the clear recesses 51.L This relativearrangement of parts permits the defleeting member Vto be .moved in orout to a desired position of adjustment after which the restrainingmember is pushed against the dellecting member and against the doorframe and the screws 23 driven into the frame. Because of the fact thatthe legs 44- .fall within the latch bolt recess 12, pressure of theheads of the screws 23 against the restraining member legs 40 force thelegs into engagement with the corresponding legs 45 of the deectingmember and .both parts are anchored together and to the door frame. Anynecessary readjustment can be made vas .described in connection with theform of the invention 4initially referred to.

In the modified form of the device the overlying character of thevertical legs 44 serve to hold the separate members of the adjustablestrike plate together so that they can be more easily handled as a unitespecially in those instances where one or another of the screws 23 areinserted through the appropriate openings designed to receive them.

Either form of the invention is equal in its effectiveness in that itcan be easily applied in a semi-adjusted position to the door frame withscrews started in the positions which they will ultimately occupy.Adjustment can then be made in that side of the strike plate which isthe critical side, namely, the side Whichis engaged by the .latch boltin the opening and shutting .of the door and the parts anchoredpermanently with respect Vto each other and the door frame after theproper position of adjustment has been determined.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 8 a .delico-tingmember indicated ygenerally by the reference character 6.0 .is providedas previously suggested with ha dellecting element 61 connected .betweenarms 62a1'nd 63. At the outer end of 'the deilecting element is vasmooth-ly .curved lip 64, the `curvature of which is capable ofreceiving the yimpact of the latch bolt and to :smoothly -slide thelatch bolt into the `latch as V.the door Vis closed. Ift will be notedthat at .the base of the Vlip the deliecting element lis offset withrespect to the surface of the delico-ting member so tir-atan innerrounded edge 16'5 is tiush with the outer sunfa'ce of y:the containingmembery 16. v

.A dat portion 66 at the lbase of Vthe delecting telemen extends in ladirection perpendicular to the ysurfaces of the faces fof the adjustablemembers and extends a Idistance equal to several times the thickness ofthe members ina Idirection such that it would normallyenter the V'latchbolt 4recess 12. The -at portion 66 is 1especially advantageous in anadjustable stri-ke plate :of the kindherein described where a recess 67ischiseled relatively deeply into the edge of the door frame `withoutvthere being ieft any portion 5of the rwood for resisting a shifting "ofthe strike plate. inasmuch .as a clear recess 67 is ldesirable `topermit free adjustment of the defiecting member, it becomes advantageousto be able to locate the'deliect'ing member approximately before the-screws are driven to the locationfo'f Figure 9, preferably leaving -aslight vclearance between the flat portion 66 Aand a wall 68 lof thelatch bolt recess. The slight clearance will permit `of some adjustmentof the ldeflectin-g member outwardly as well a's it bei-ng possible 'toadjust the deecting member inwardly. After lthe screws have been drivenandthe strike plate set, should there be an loccasion lwhere exceptionalstrain is put upon the strike plate forcing it toward Athe left, asviewed in Figure 7, the a't portion 66 will then fall into positionagainst the wall 68 of the latch bolt recess and prevent the strikeplate from being Itorn loose.

The device is simple in its construction which facilitates inexpensivemanufacture and rugged by reason of portions being bent at 4anglessuitable for reinforcement while also serving to adapt the plate to itsuse. Because of its versatility only one size Vwill be adapted toaccommodate many different circumstances by reason of the fact that theiinal adjustment can be made after 'the strike plate has been applied tot-he millwork where it is to be ultimately used. n

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I haveconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may .be made therefrom within Vthe scope ofmy invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of .the claims ,so as to embraceany and all equivalent devices.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to securenby Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable strike plate for installation .in a .door frame whereina latch bolt recess 'has'been formed, said strike plate comprising abolt deiiecting member and a containing member, said bolt deflectingmember including spaced arms adapted to extend transversely of the edgeof the door and a strike lip element extending between ends of said armsto form a laterally open aperture adapted to overlie the bolt recess,said lip being deiiected from the plane of the arms and said arms havinglongitudinally extending screw receiving slots therein, said containingmember including arms in overlapped relation with the iirst identifiedarms and a containing element extending between ends of said containingmember to form a laterally open aperture adapted to overlie the boltrecess, serrations on oppositely positioned edges of the arms of onesaid member which underlie the other arms when installed, saidserrations extending in a direction perpendicular to the surfaces ofsaid one member, anges on the arms which are in overlying position wheninstalled, said flanges being of thickness not greater thanA thethickness of the arms in underlying position and facing the serratededges of the arms in underlying position and serrations on said flangesadapted to engage said serrations on the arms in underlying position atselected positions of one set of arms upon the other whereby to vary thelocation of a latch retaining edge of a common recess between elementsconnecting said arms, the arms of said containing member havingcountersunk depressions insertable in said slots and in engagement withthe edges thereof, and means forming screw receiving holes in saiddepressions adapted for alignment with said slots at different positionsof adjustment.

2. An adjustable strike plate for installation in a door framecomprising a bolt detiecting member and a containing member, said boltdeflecting member including spaced arms having opposite smooth surfacesadapted to extend transversely of the edge of the door and a strike lipelement extending between ends of said arms to form one side of a strikebolt aperture, and serrations on edges of said arms, said containingmember including arms having opposite smooth surfaces and adapted tooverlie the first identified arms and a containing element extendingbetween ends of said containing member to form another side of saidstrike bolt aperture, said last identified arms each having on theinside edge a bent ange, one leg of said flange having an inner portionthereof including serrations of length comparable to the thickness ofthe arms of the deecting member and adapted to engage serrations of theadjacent edge of the corresponding arm of the deiiecting member and anunserrated recessed portion adapted to clear said last identifiedserrations, another leg of said flange at the free end of said first leghaving a position overlying the face of said corresponding arm wherebyto prevent complete separation of said members during adjustment, thearms of one of said members having slots therein and the arms of theother member having screw receiving holes adapted for adjustablealignment with said slots.

3. An adjustable strike plate for installation in a door framecomprising a bolt deflecting member and a containing member, said boltdeflecting member including spaced arms and a strike-lip elementextending between ends of said arms to form a latch bolt aperture,serrations on opposite edges of said arms, said containing memberincluding arms adapted to overlie the rst identified arms and acontaining element extending between ends of said containing member toform a latch bolt aperture, said arms on one of said members havingflanges of depth substantially equal to the thickness of the arms of theother member and overlying edges of said arms on the other member,serrations respectively on the flanges and the edges extending normal tothe faces of the members adapted to engage at selected positions of oneset of arms upon the other, whereby to vary the location of a latch boltretaining edge of a common aperture between elements connecting saidarms, said bolt deflecting member having a Hat portion at the base ofthe strike lip element turned toward the under side of the lip to aposition adapted to engage a portion of the door frame when the strikeplate is in a position of relatively wide adjustment, the arms of one ofsaid members having slots and the corresponding arms of the other memberhaving screw receiving holes adapted for alignment with said slots atdifferent positions of adjustment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS872,053 Christy Nov. 26, 1907 1,214,227 Schwenk Jan. 30, 1917 2,127,891Starling Aug. 23, 1938 2,695,807 Bissot Nov. 30, 1954 2,713,506Wichstrom July 19, 1955

